45/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4712 — Fifty Oaths in Qasamah
Mentioning The Different Wordings In The Report Of Sahl
Qasamah Hadith About Fifty Oaths and Justice
Sunan an-Nasai : 4712
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4712
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، قَالَ وَحَسِبْتُ قَالَ وَعَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، أَنَّهُمَا قَالاَ خَرَجَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَهْلِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ وَمُحَيِّصَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَا بِخَيْبَرَ تَفَرَّقَا فِي بَعْضِ مَا هُنَالِكَ ثُمَّ إِذَا بِمُحَيِّصَةَ يَجِدُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سَهْلٍ قَتِيلاً فَدَفَنَهُ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هُوَ وَحُوَيِّصَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَهْلٍ - وَكَانَ أَصْغَرَ الْقَوْمِ - فَذَهَبَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ يَتَكَلَّمُ قَبْلَ صَاحِبَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَبِّرِ الْكُبْرَ فِي السِّنِّ " . فَصَمَتَ وَتَكَلَّمَ صَاحِبَاهُ ثُمَّ تَكَلَّمَ مَعَهُمَا فَذَكَرُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَقْتَلَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ " أَتَحْلِفُونَ خَمْسِينَ يَمِينًا وَتَسْتَحِقُّونَ صَاحِبَكُمْ أَوْ قَاتِلَكُمْ " . قَالُوا كَيْفَ نَحْلِفُ وَلَمْ نَشْهَدْ قَالَ " فَتُبَرِّئُكُمْ يَهُودُ بِخَمْسِينَ يَمِينًا " . قَالُوا وَكَيْفَ نَقْبَلُ أَيْمَانَ قَوْمٍ كُفَّارٍ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْطَاهُ عَقْلَهُ .
It was narrated from Yahya, from Bushair bin Yasa, from Sahl bin Abi Hathmah who said - and I think he said: and from Rafi bin Khadij, the two of them said - :"Abdullah bin Sahl bin Zaid and Muhayysah bin Mas'ud went out until when they reached Khaibar, they went their separate ways. Then Muhayysah found 'Abdullah bin Sahl slain, so he buried him. Then he came to the Mesenger of Allah, along with Huwayysah bin Mas'ud and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Sahl, who was the youngest of them, 'Abdur-Rahman started to speak before his two companions, but the Messenger of Allah said to him: "Let the clear speak first." So he fell silent and his two companions spoke, then he spoke with them. They told the Messenger of Allah about the killing of 'Abdullah bin Sahl, and he said to them: "Will you swear fifty oaths, then you will receive compensation, or be entitled to retaliate?" They said: "How can we swear an oath when we did not witness what happened?" he said: "Then can the Jews swear fifty oaths declaring their innocence?" They said: "How can we accept the oath of a disbelieving people?" When the Messenger of Allah saw that, he paid the blood money (himself).
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4712In-book reference : Book 45, Hadith 7English translation : Vol. 5, Book 45, Hadith 4716
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4712
This Qasamah hadith describes 'Abdullah bin Sahl and Muhayysah going to Khaibar and later separating. Muhayysah found 'Abdullah slain and buried him. When the case was brought to the Messenger of Allah, the youngest began speaking before the others, so the Prophet told him to let the older ones speak first. The Prophet then asked whether they would swear fifty oaths and receive compensation or be entitled to retaliate. They said they could not swear because they had not witnessed it. He then mentioned the Jews swearing fifty oaths of innocence, but they did not accept that. The narration ends with the Prophet paying the blood money himself. The focus is Qasamah, proof, oaths, and careful handling of a killing claim.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet asked for fifty oaths before compensation or retaliation.
- The men refused to swear about what they did not witness.
- The Prophet paid the blood money himself after the oath options were not accepted.
